Mark 13:17But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days!
The setting
Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, ~30 AD. Jesus' voice breaks with compassion as He thinks of pregnant women and nursing mothers during siege...
The emotion here: heartbroken compassion for the most vulnerable people He loves
The original word
ouai (οὐαί) — deep grief and pity, not anger but heartbroken compassion for unavoidable suffering
Why it matters
During Jerusalem's 70 AD siege, Josephus recorded mothers eating their own children due to starvation
Read with care
What most readers miss in Mark 13:17
This isn't a curse but Jesus weeping for the most vulnerable during coming catastrophe
Common misconceptionPeople think 'woe' means God is angry at pregnant women, but Jesus is expressing deep grief that the most vulnerable will suffer most during the coming disaster.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Mark 13:17
Bible Genome reading
Mark 13:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Mark 13:17 comes from the book of Mark, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 25% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include suffering, vulnerability. Notable phrases: woe to those; with child; nurse babies. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Mark 13:17 mean to you, today?
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